Monday, February 19, 2007
This morning
HB
166, a proposal to dissolve the Utah Transit Authority as of
January 1, 2008, is in HOUSE POLITICAL
SUBDIVISIONS ( W125 at 8) this morning.
Public transit systems would be turned over to the state Department of
Transportation, which currently builds and maintains state highways. In place of current local option sales taxes
for transit, which must be approved by local voters, a state sales tax of .25%
to fund a state public transit system would be imposed. In
HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
(W 010 at 8:15) will consider HB 2, which increases the pay for
statewide elected officials and the salary ranges of other state officers by 3
percent. The Governor's new salary would
be $107,200, for example. The funding
was included in a FY 2007 compensation package, so no new money is
appropriated.
Substitute
HB 392 changes the proposed Western States Presidential Primary to a
Presidential Preference Poll. Political
parties, rather than county election officials, would administer the poll. This would reduce county election costs. Participating parties would be reimbursed by
the Lt. Governor for part of their expenses.
HOUSE REVENUE AND TAXATION
(W135 at 8) is debating energy bills. Substitute SB 13 gives individuals
or businesses who install residential renewable energy units a credit of up to
$2,000. Businesses could receive a
credit of (.35) cents for each kilowatt hour produced or used and sold.
Another
bill, HB 161, authorizes corporate franchise and income tax credits of
up to $1 million to build or remodel a biodiesel or syngas production facility.
This afternoon
At
4:00 HOUSE EDUCATION will consider HB
94, a $30 million addition to the class size reduction appropriation. HB 382 would add an extra $68 million
to the budget to raise teacher salaries and appropriate $34 million in FY 2008
for teacher bonuses.
HB
169 and HB 172 propose virtual charter and K-8 schools that
children can attend on line. Under both
bills, children could participate in other public schools as well.
Sandy Peck
League
of Women Voters,
801.272-8683 fax 801.272-5942
www.lwvutah.org,
office email: lwvut@xmission.com
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